Sydney’s heatwaves are affecting your croissants

Since the New Year, Sydney's blistering heat has left
Woolloomooloo bakery Flour & Stone a little deflated as their
croissants struggle to rise to their usual picture-perfect
condition.

It's a repeat issue each year during summer's peak, when
temperatures in the bakery regularly reach over 40 degrees. While
larger outfits like Melbourne's Lune Croissanterie have
temperature-controlled environments, Flour & Stone don't -
they're smaller than what you'd expect of the bakery behind
Sydney's much-loved lemon dream cake and those famous panna cotta lamingtons.

Owner Nadine Ingram took to Instagram recently to express her frustrations
on how some days up to 30 croissants - au chocolat and almond
included - won't make it to sale, and says those that do "aren't
looking their best," remaining more compact than usual.

"They're over-proofing," says Ingram. "The yeast [in the dough]
spends a certain amount of activity or life expelling the heat that
by the time we're making the croissant, the yeast is damaged. Then
when it's baked in the oven, it doesn't have much left to give - it
puffs at first, and then deflates."

Ingram explains that the air-conditioner she installed last year
only takes the edge off. While in previous years Flour & Stone
have kept their croissants consistently fluffy and flaky by baking
during twilight hours, it's currently a smaller team, and Ingram
wants people to sleep.

As summer is winding down, Ingram promises in a few weeks the
pastries will be back to their airy, buttery selves. In the
meantime, you could always take the chance to branch out with a salted caramel chocolate éclair,
or bite-sized baci - even better, watch the video above
while you wait for a cool change.